


Act of Contrition

by elynross



Category: The West Wing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-23
Updated: 2003-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-25 04:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1630454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elynross/pseuds/elynross
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes understanding feels like forgiveness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Act of Contrition

**Author's Note:**

> Written for tzikeh

 

 

"Margaret, have you seen the latest report from the Counsel's office? Margaret!" Leo started flipping through another stack of folders. "Where is that woman when I need her," he muttered to himself. "Margaret!" Margaret didn't answer, but he heard a soft cough. He looked up to see the President hovering in the doorway. "Do you need something, sir?" 

The President rocked on his heels a moment before answering, and Leo wondered why he was nervous. "I just wanted to ask about your Christmas plans. I'd love to have you in New Hampshire, but..." 

"I understand, sir. No, actually, Mallory is having Christmas this year. She put her foot down and insisted that Jenny and I both be there, so... It should be good." He hoped. 

Jed nodded in understanding, then stepped into the office and sat down on the couch, bracing his forearms on his knees. "We've had a hard year, haven't we, Leo?" 

"That we have, sir." He continued straightening his desk, watching as Jed stared at his hands. Jed. The President. It was getting harder to keep them separate. 

"I never thought it was going to get easier, you know. But I don't think I thought it was going to be quite this hard." 

Leo stopped pushing papers around and sat down, but Jed didn't look at him for long moments. When he did speak, it was low, but clear. 

"Do you ever think you made a mistake?" Then he looked up, and for a minute, Leo couldn't speak, couldn't think clearly enough to know what to say, how to make that look go away. 

"Never." One word, but it carried with it every belief he'd ever had, all his faith in the world, wrapped up as it was in this one man, still so strong, in spirit, in mind, after everything Leo had done to him. 

Jed just looked at him, but it seemed to Leo that something eased. "It's not your fault, you know. None of it," Jed said. 

"Yeah, it is." Neither of them had mentioned Abbey's name, but they'd never had to. 

"It was my responsibility." 

Leo turned back to stacking his papers. He figured he must have mixed together about five different reports. Margaret was gonna kill him. "Issuing the order was your responsibility. Advising you was mine." He looked up, and Jed was still watching him. "It's okay, Jed. We always knew things like this could happen." 

Jed looked back down at his hands. "I didn't." 

It almost didn't sound like him, so filled with grief and pain and burden. It was both plea and denial, and almost, Leo didn't speak. He almost kept it to himself, but they'd never worked like that. "Yeah, you did. We both did." 

This time the look was different, almost worse, but Leo thought he saw something like relief in Jed's eyes. "Yeah, I did." He stood up and turned back towards his office. "Leo?" 

"Yes, sir?" 

"Thank you." 

This time, Leo didn't say a word. 

 


End file.
